[fos-fer, -fawr] 
| 1. | any of a number of substances that exhibit luminescence when struck by light of certain wavelengths, as by ultraviolet. |
| 2. | Literary. a phosphorescent substance. |
| 3. | Archaic. phosphorescent. |
[fos-fer, -fawr] | the morning star, esp. Venus. |
| var. of phosphoro- before a vowel: phosphorate. |
| a combining form representing phosphorus in compound words: phosphoroscope. |
| phos·phor (fŏs'fər, -fôr') n.
[Latin Phōsphorus, the morning star; see phosphorus.] |
phosphor- pref.
Variant of phosphoro-.
phosphoro- or phosphor-
pref.
Phosphorus: phosphorous acid.
Phosphorescent: phosphorogen.
phosphor
solid material that emits light, or luminesces, when exposed to radiation such as ultraviolet light or an electron beam. Hundreds of thousands of phosphors have been synthesized, each one having its own characteristic colour of emission and period of time during which light is emitted after excitation ceases. When certain phosphors luminesce from electron excitation, the process is called electroluminescence, and these phosphors are used in the production of television screens and computer monitors. Phosphors excited by ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation are used principally in the so-called fluorescent lamps commonly employed for general illumination
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